The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24
SAN FRANCISCO KINDERGARTEN
CHARITY.
BY REV. G.. III. DEERE.
Riverside, CALI

We step out of the Sixth, Sansome
and Taylor street horse car near the
Stanford Free Kindergarten, in the
heart of the poorest, though by no
means wickedest part of the city. Bad
as the old plank walks are they enable
us to keep out of the sand through
which the horses have to drag their
loads. Sand and rubbish beaten into
dust fill the air like smoke, and ride
over us and into us on the wings of the
wind. We need not be told that there
is no sewerage here. Save for the per-
petual breezes, pestilence would soon
make dust of the population.
The dilapidated buildings are in
mourning, some for lost colors, some
because they never had any. That
very large one having the look of fac
tory, standing opposite the kindergar-
ten was once Spreckles' sugar refinery,
whose works, removed elsewhere, have
been replaced by good servants of bad
ness, the wine makers. The kindergar-
ten building next in size was the hotel
in the old days.
Wishing to learn more of the people
than is in sight, we interview the po-
liceman, "Jim," as the neighborhood
familiarly called the good hearted star
on this beat. "How do the people liver"
1 ask. "On beer" is his quick though
inaccurate reply. ''See that woman
crossing the street? She has big fam
lily of children, Yes" interrupting
him, II see; she has baby under her
shawl" 'Baby ha ha ha that's
beer; pitcher of beer. It's the way
with most of 'em here, men off in the
morning, women out first thing for beer
when they don't send the children back
and forth all day pretty we'll set up
come night. Then the men come home
and the screaming and fighting is live
ly..." mot many whisky shops in
sight" mo, it's mostly beer. Whis-
ky shops plenty on Pacific street and
Jackson. Amt quite so poor there, but
they are worse sci" care there many
children here ?" eyes, more than in
better part of town, and they have a
hard time of it." So he tells us of the
drunkenness and attendant poverty and
vices Shiny surface, and shows us the
interior of indescribably miserable stys,
until with the heartache we cry enough.
True, you can find much worse in Lon
don and New York, for this city is too
young to exhibit cesspools Of human de-
graduation so packed and offensive as
they are. Yet, you find enough here to
think about enough even to fill your
prayers with interrogations.
"Have the kindergartens done any
good p' "Any good !" exclaims the
''Star." II should say they had. Aud
the children, why, it's sort of heaven
to them" About the only clean-faced,
tidy bodies you see on the street are the
little ones before and after school hours.
Speak to one of these of the kindergar-
ten and the countenance lights up with
interest. You will notice, too, soft
ening of the voice as rough adults an
swer your questions, and other evident
signs of feeling toward the kindergarten
as of something good that has come to
them from above.
We go into the bright rooms made
CHEEKY by every available thing that can
please and attract child. The crowd
is noisily at play in central open court,
teachers in the midst. We are not per-
mitted to join them for their attentions
are sometimes oyerpowering but
signal soon bushes and brings them into
line, and, keeping step to music, they
march in. Round and round they go
singing helpful words while we study
the new life struggling with the old.
Little is seen that usually draws one to
caress child, yet most of them look
hungry for love, and as if expecting
and accustomed here to receive it.
"Shake," says dumping Of boy, ex-
tending his hand as he passes. A tiny
girl with a shy smile toddles out of line
toward us as if she would be taken up.
See that slender, delicate little fellow,
with great eyes, large head, broad, al
most shelving at top, with look as if
hiding himself in the upper story of his
brain from the fearful things in the
world outside. A newcomer, says the
teacher, from drunkard's home where
there are plenty of blows but no moth
er's kisses. Why came that timid, SEN
sitive, dreamy nature into such a home?
Deformity and signs of loathsome
disease make us shudder as we think
of the touch and kiss called for from the
fair teachers. No wonder they break
down rapidly in such districts as this.
lis there not call for more than hui
man patience ?" asks one. 80 no." is
the reply, sit is love that is wanted.
That cannot be simulated. Where it
really exists the work is joy" After
the marching and general plays they
separate, each with a teacher, into fam
lilies of fifteen and twenty, and the
style of the play is changed to the use
of the fingers and faculties by devices